


The radiators on, I loved you all along

by maiamaryse



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Christmas, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-10
Updated: 2020-12-10
Packaged: 2021-03-09 20:35:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 592
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27992364
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/maiamaryse/pseuds/maiamaryse
Summary: Steve tells him his house will be empty all break, they could go there for Christmas.
Relationships: Billy Hargrove/Steve Harrington
Comments: 1
Kudos: 22





	The radiators on, I loved you all along

Billy’s nose itches with dust. There’s a picture of Steve as a little kid, looking prim and proper on Santa’s lap, grimacing. Billy hides it under the box with the nativity scene in. He finds a huge tangle of coloured lights which he gathers up and tries to pass down to Steve, who takes a step back as if Billy’s just tried to give him a handful of spiders. Billy watches him for a moment and then puts them away again.

“Sorry,” Steve laughs, “I hate those.”

“Ok, weirdo.” Billy says easily. The last time he’d pressed Steve on one of his irrational phobias it had ended in a quiet, horrible argument that had lingered for days.

  
Steve puts on a record and then fixes tinsel around the light fixtures with an earnest carefulness Billy can’t look at, so he starts rubbing butter under the skin of the turkey.

  
Steve grins into the phone harder than he has all day.

“Well, I’ll let you go. Thanks for calling. Yes, I’ll tell them. Merry Christmas to you, too.”

“Sorry for watching you on the phone.” Billy says.

Steve looks confused. "That's okay? I don't mind." Billy bites the inside of his cheek until his eyes water.

“The turkey’s ready to go in the oven. I think it’ll take three hours.” Billy tells him.

“Okay.” Steve says. “That was the Hendersons, on the phone.”

“Right.”

“They told me to wish my family a Merry Christmas, from them.”

“You didn’t tell them your parents weren't here?" Billy bites off the tip of his thumbnail and then regrets it when it’s in his mouth. "I’m sure they would have had you over.”

“They probably would have invited me, yes.” Steve agrees, and then he rolls his eyes. “Merry Christmas from the Hendersons, Stupid.”

Billy takes his thumbnail out of his mouth and puts it into his front pocket and hopes Steve doesn’t realise that’s what he’s doing. He takes Steve’s face between his hands to kiss him, then instead of kissing just holds him there, feeling the weight of his head, his squishy cheeks. Steve’s eyes crinkle, and his smile brushes against Billy’s thumbs.

  
They walk into the woods, pushing each other. Steve’s laugh echoes.

  
Steve has a bowl of sprouts and Billy has a bag of potatoes, and they peel into the bowl between them. Billy remembers helping his Mom, just like this, at their little kitchen table.

“Do you think they’ll call?” Billy asks. Steve shrugs.

“Did you ever tell Max?”

“No. I just told her I wasn’t coming home.”

“Do you think she’ll try to call you at your dorm?”

“I dunno.”

  
Steve drops his head to the table after the first bite of the turkey and moans.

“Good?” Billy grins, and Steve props his chin on his hands and tells him it’s the best he’s ever had.

They drink two bottles of wine. Steve licks both their plates, and then Billy takes their swaying bodies to the living room, and they stumble around. Billy feels Steve laughing where their chests are pressed together.

  
“Let’s drive back to Chicago tomorrow.” Steve says, scooping the potatoes into sandwich bags. Billy wraps his arms around him from behind.

“Yeah.” He says.

“This house makes me sad.”

“Yeah.” Billy kisses the back of his neck.

He carves up the leftover turkey. Steve makes a big thing of hot chocolate. Then they lay down on the sofa, and Billy gathers up the bottom of Steve’s t-shirt and his thick, soft jumper, and he sticks his head inside.

**Author's Note:**

> happysad harrigrove xmas everyone xx
> 
> title from did i make you cry on christmas day? by sufjan stevens


End file.
